The present invention relates generally to welding-type machines and, more particularly, to a welding-type machine enclosure that incorporates removable panels for easy access into the welding-type machine.
A typical welding-type machine includes an electric generator, a prime mover for rotating the generator to produce electrical power, and various electrical components that convert the power from the generator into power suitable for welding. The generator, prime mover, and electrical components are usually assembled into an enclosure having a base, a top wall, two end walls, and two side walls. A horizontal center wall divides the enclosure into an engine compartment and an electrical compartment. The base, top wall, center wall, and end walls normally stay permanently in place after manufacture of the welding-type machine. On the other hand, to provide access to the engine and electrical compartments the enclosure side walls may be removable.
Prior enclosures for welding-type machines have employed side panels that were hinged to the top wall. Those side panels were satisfactory to the extent that they allowed easy access to the engine and electrical compartments. However, the hinged side panels required a great deal of space between the welding-type machine and any adjacent objects or building walls. Consequently, the placement of the welding-type machine was limited to locations having sufficient adjacent space to enable the side panels to be opened.
Therefore, it would be desirable to improve the design of the welding-type machine enclosure so that operators can remove the side panels and have easy access to the engine and electrical compartments of the welding-type machine.